What can I say? Sometimes the Mid-Century Menu is just good, clean fun. Well, most of the time it’s not good or clean (teats!). But heck, it’s always fun.
This week we get to have good AND clean fun, because nothing in this week’s Menu even remotely looks like a naughty part. Well, maybe it looks like a brain, which is only naughty sometimes. Sometimes it is good. In fact, over here we use our brains only for good.
Except when cooking.
Aaaaaanyway, this week we are delving into Martha Holmes Holiday Recipes and dragging back another recipe, kicking and screaming for it’s momma. A few weeks ago we had great lunchtime success (and lyrical brilliance) with Miniature Weiner Wellingtons, which were from the same book.
So when I saw a name like “Deluxe Hot Chicken Salad,” I knew we were in business.
Two dead giveaways that this is mid-century cooking:
Chopped hard boiled eggs.
Water chestnuts.
Enough said.
Do you guys really need hand-holding on this one? I think we can just let the pictures speak for themselves. No story distractions necessary!
Okay, maybe one explanation. This is a bowl full of corn flakes and melted butter. This is NOT my breakfast. Even though I really wanted to take a bite.
Really.
You know, instead of the three shots I normally show you guys of Tom enjoying his dinner, I thought I would give you guys a treat…
And show you ALL of them! In cinematic preview form!
The Verdict: Really good. Really. It turns out the concept of a hot chicken salad is a good one. The only alteration I would make is a small one. The casserole was very rich, and I would double the rice if I was making this again to kind of “water it down”.
If you are going to make only one Mid-Century Menu recipe this year, let it be this one!
It’s hard not to think of a bad day at a picnic when the words “Hot Chicken Salad” are strung together — sounds like a tummyache for sure! What a relief that everything turned out to be just fine!
And that “preview” was positively spine-tingling!
Love it! Watching this was a great way to start my day. Thanks!
I was thinking the whole time that it looked pretty good. But alot of the meals dont look so bad to me.. Unless they are a savory gelatin.. or anything with “luncheaon” meat.
Brilliant Ruth, just brilliant! 🙂 You know we all love Tom!!!
PS – I think I will, for sure, try the ‘Hot Chicken Salad’.
I haven’t said it a long while, but you and Tom really help make my Wednesdays happier 😉
Good grief, Charlie Brown. I can remember when this was the “hot” recipe of the day. Yikes, can you hear my bones creaking???
Canned water chestnuts must have been the sun-dried tomatoes of the 1950s. They seem to be in 80% of the entree dishes from that period.
You’re gettin’ pretty crafty with the videos, Ruth. That was really fun to watch… I especially liked “Watch Tom think!”
Just this morning I was watching one of the Lidia cooking shows on TV, and I realized that Tom bears a striking resemblance to Joe Bastianich, who is Mario Battali’s restaurant partner. See if you agree:
http://eater.com/archives/2010/09/01/eataly-media-reaction-round-up.php
Can’t wait for the full length feature to be released !! The preview was brilliant!! I think we will try the hot chicken salad too .
Thanks, guys! I had loads of fun making the video. It turned out pretty hilarious.
Sharon – I had my doubts as well, but it all ended up roses! Or, at least, hard boiled eggs and roses.
Ma! Glad you liked it! 🙂
Amy – I know what you mean. The gelatin kills me!
Sara – You had better take a picture! 🙂
Thanks, Inky! Hooray!
Annie B. – Don’t feel too old. My mom said the same thing!
Magnarama – Holy nuts. He DOES look like that guy! And this whole time I thought Tom’s celebrity double was Davydenko (tennis player) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolay_Davydenko
Maybe they are triplets?
Thanks, Jaede! Glad you liked it, and if you make it snap a pic for me!
how funny! i love the video idea too. Still can’t talk myself into making any of your MCM recipes yet.
I love your Wednesday menus! Most of the time I cringe and laugh but this time I said “maybe you should make this” and I did. My husband and I thought it was awesome. I did leave out the eggs and added another cup of rice. Next time i’m adding the eggs to see how it is. You rock my world!
Two Barking Dogs – You should totally try it, I swear it is good!
Brie – Awesome!!! You rock MY world! I am so happy I convinced someone! 🙂
ahhhh, this brings back so many memories! My Grandma Po (yes, that’s not a typo, it’s an ‘O’ hehehe) made this all time when I was growing up. It was totally her bridge luncheon staple and I remember it being served on the good china with like a half canned pear and perhaps a maraschino cherry, OH, and lemon bundt cake for dessert.
ah, hot chicken salad, how I have missed you…
🙂
Egad, my mother still makes something like this for the occasional potluck. Except hers has “Chinese noodles” on top. The crunchy LaChoy ones.
I think that looks deeeelicious! Kudos to a fab-u-lous website!! Keep the midcentury love alive!!!
Thanks, Jenny! Glad you like the site!
Hi there RR. I just wanted to say thanks for the great website. I found it looking for some recipes for my upcoming Mad Men dinner party. The Hot Chicken Salad will be my main course, yum, yum. You are really funny too, I laughed out loud several times. Bonus! Keep up the good work.
My mother-in-law used to make this often. She called it Chicken Olivia and her family loved it!!
I made this last night for dinner. The recipe looked so good, and Tom’s endorsement just sealed the deal. I doubled the amount of rice, per your suggestion. It was positively delish!
Brie, you will like the eggs in it..not as odd as it sounds. I grew up maki g this for company..Iowa born.